Sunday, January 31, 2010

Agricultural workers yesterday challenged the Senate to reopen investigations into the scheme that was inserted during the term of President Corazon Aquino in the comprehensive land reform law that allowed Hacienda Luisita of the Cojuangco-Aquino clan to become a corporate farm and thus evade land distribution.

Two militant groups supporting striking farm workers of Hacienda Luisita reminded Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile that on June 8, 1989, the then Senate Minority Leader of the Aquino-controlled Senate delivered a privilege speech questioning the late Aquino’s insertion of the stock distribution option (SDO) in the draft land reform law...... MORE

Quite frankly, these presidential forums — or debates — count for nothing mainly because what is being mouthed by these presidential candidates are all motherhood statements, by way of their claimed platforms. Besides, giving these presidential bets so little time to reply to a question posed doesn’t encourage the speakers to expound on what they claim is their program of government.

So what is the rationale for coming up with so many forums for presidentiables? To get to know them better? How? Through what they claim they will be doing once they sit in Malacañang?... MORE

in May and field tests on the polling system supplied by Smartmatic-Total Information Management seem to be nowhere near being publicly accepted as capable of bringing out credible poll results.

Instead, the tests so far conducted showed indefinite factors that could and will make the election process fail in the nation’s first automatic polling.

The tests conducted in Agojo Elementary School in Pateros, Metro Manila, the other day, found technicians of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-chosen contractor sweating it out for hours to transmit data..... MORE

CAIRO — Female students at Cairo University are defying religious and state efforts to ban the controversial niqab from schools and colleges, saying that wearing the controversial face veil is a religious obligation that also protects against sexual harassment.

“I wear the niqab essentially to avoid harassment on the street and on public transport,” said law student Marwa Mohammed, 19, her eyes visible only through the slits in the black veil that covers her entire face.... MORE